


A Winter's Ball

by just_another_classic



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Captain Duckling, F/M, Fluff, Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 14:47:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8988862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_another_classic/pseuds/just_another_classic
Summary: Princess Emma gets a surprise visitor at her kingdom's celebration of the Winter Solstice. (Captain Duckling)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays! This is my Captain Swan Secret Santa gift to inquisitorscullen! I hope you enjoy!

Late dawn. Early sunset. Short day. Long night.

Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year.

The villagers whisper about the day, saying it’s special, a time for magic. The kingdom celebrates it, hosting a traditional ball every year. And as with most traditions, this year is not any different.

The servants have dusted the furniture, and the cooks have been aflutter in the kitchens perfecting their best recipes. Men and women have traveled across kingdoms to attend the fete, eager to celebrate the past year, and to see and be seen. The ballroom of Misthaven’s castle is decorated in reds and golds, positively resplendent in its grandeur. Musicians pluck their strings as the guest spin and swirl.

It’s a lovely evening.

Dressed in an elegant red gown, Princess Emma of Misthaven appears just as lovely as everything else in the castle; however, she feels the opposite of festive. She wishes desperately she could enjoy the evening, and not have to force a smile and polite conversation with every new visitor. No one seems to notice her melancholy, which makes it all the worst. They’re all too drunk on the wine and festivities, dancing and laughing and doing all the things that people do at these sort of affairs. If you’ve been to one ball, you’ve been to them all – especially those held in honor to the Winter Solstice. 

Eventually, Emma sneaks out of the ballroom, skirting down hallways, and finally through the castle doors and outside to the garden. The chilled night air hits her immediately, but she pays it no mind. She weaves her way around the flowers and bushes to a marble bench. She’s thankful, for once, for the heavy layers of her gown, protecting her from becoming too cold.

Sitting where she is, Emma can still hear the music from the ball. She used to love balls like these, dressing up and dancing late into the night. But that had been before she grew to marriagble age, and nearly every man in attendance appeared to be vying for her hand. Now, balls feel like a chore. A smile here, a nod there, dancing just so as not to offend.   
  
She likes to think that it would be better if potential suitors at least tried to talk to her, truly talk, and not boast about their riches or how lovely she looks. It all feels so superficial and fake, Emma can hardly stand it. She much prefers off-the-cuff conversations, those that aren’t bound by expectation or propriety.  
  
Maybe that’s why she –

She is distracted by a rustling in the bushes ahead of her. Emma tenses, trying to formulate a plan to get away. The guards don’t know she is here, nor does she have her sword. She could run, and knows some hand-to-hand combat, but could also be easily overpowered. She braces herself as a figure creeps out of the foliage, and prepares herself to run and cry out when – 

“Emma?”

Her heart skips when she hears the familiar, accented voice. Her breath catches as he comes into view. She hadn’t been expecting him. She didn’t even know he was in port, but surely enough it is Captain Killian Jones sneaking through the castle’s garden.

Killian is the primary reason why her apparent suitors hold no interest, because he already has it. Emma hadn’t meant to fall for him. When she had snuck into a tavern all those months ago, she had simply been looking for a distraction. What she found instead was the man who would hold her heart.   
  
Emma hasn’t told anyone about him yet. Not her parents, nor her brother. Not even her closest friend, Queen Elsa of Arendelle. Instead, she’s kept this secret close to her heart. It’s not that she wishes to hide him away, but she fears what people will say, that if found out, he would somehow be taken from her. Pirates aren’t meant to court princesses. 

Yet here he is.  
  
He approaches her carefully, and Emma glances around furtively to ensure there truly aren’t any guards nearby. There aren’t, and she waves him closer. In one quick moment, she is swept into arms, his lips warm and welcome against her own. They stay that way for awhile before Emma regains her senses and pulls away.

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see you, love.”

It’s then that she notices his clothing. Instead of his worn leather coat, he is dressed in a nice, camel jacket. He is wearing fine breeches, and not his leather pants. Even his eyeliner has been washed away, making him appear younger, softer. He looks nothing like the pirate captain her is, and everything like the suitors from which she is trying to run away.  

“Were you attempting to sneak into the ball?” she asks, her answer confirmed by the way he ducks his gaze. Emma is sure that if it hadn’t been dark, she would be able to see a faint blush tinting his cheeks. 

“As I said, darling, I wanted to see you,” he tells her. He smooths his hand down the back of her dress, drawing her even closer to him. Emma can see the way his breath comes out in puffs in the cold air. He notices it, as well, because the next thing he says is, “What are you doing out here? You’ll catch your death in this cold.” 

“I was getting overwhelmed, so I thought I’d come outside. Good thing, too, because you could have been caught. However did you think you were going to get in? You can’t just sneak in!”

“Calm down, Princess,” he says, his voice both soothing and teasing. “I’ll have you know that I could sneak in. I am a hell of a pirate. But, as it stands, I managed to procure myself an invitation to your castle’s fete.”

Emma gasps. “But how?”

“As I said, I’m a hell of a pirate.” He winks. “Though, as far as everyone in there will know, I’m Prince Charles.”

She quirks an eyebrow. “Prince Charles? I haven’t met Prince Charles.”

Killian makes a show of dipping down low, and pressing a kiss to her hand. “Well, I am pleased to meet you, lass.” 

Emma is unable to hold back a laugh at the ridiculousness of the man she loves. He flashes a smile as he rights himself, and draws her back into his arms. Their lips meet again, though it is difficult to kiss with twin smiles. It’s been too long since she’s seen him, and she’s elated to have him here with her. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

“Aye, here I am.” Killian reaches up to stroke the apple of the cheek. “We should get you inside. You’re frozen. Besides, I did come to dance with a princess.”

“If anyone finds you out, you could get hanged,” she warns him, even as they draw closer back to the castle. They must be particularly careful now. Being caught alone with a princess, pirate or not, is dangerous enough. It could ruin her prospects, not that Emma cares with Killian by her side. But, surely, it would embarrass her parents. That is something Emma doesn’t want. 

“You’re worth the risk, love.”  
  
They manage to sneak back into the castle together, stealing kisses along the way. They go their separate ways once in the ballroom. Emma busies herself talking to Princess Melody of the neighboring seafaring kingdom. She’s not sure where Killian disappears off to, but he reappears quickly enough, tapping her shoulder, and then bowing like proper gentleman.

“I hate to disturb you, my lady, but may I have this dance?”

Melody gives her an approving look – Killian is quite handsome, after all – and Emma accepts happily. He might be pretending to be Prince Charles, but as Killian spins her around the ballroom in front of everyone, Emma thinks there might just be a little magic to Winter Solstice after all.

 


End file.
